LANCASHIRE Hawks boss Mike Cockayne is asking his players to dig deep in their Christmas stockings this weekend, ahead of a testing double assault on high-flying Peterborough Pirates in the Christmas Cup.

And Hawks will be looking to continue the festivities after their 7-5 win over Kingston in a rare midweek Northern clash with a result over the fearsome Pirates at the Arena tonight (face off 6pm).

Peterborough are fresh from putting a colossal 33 goals past Murrayfield last weekend and will be baying for blood, but Mr Cockayne has no fear.

"It will be a tough test for us this weekend," he said. "But we will benefit by playing the first game at home and will try and rouse some confidence from that."

And Mr Cockayne is confident that Hawks will do enough to contain them when they travel down the A1 tomorrow (face off 6pm).

"We had quite a good result last time we played there in the National League because their rink is small, and it's far easier for us to contain them.

"If we are able to hold their players up and slow them down on the smaller arena, then we could well see a result at the end of the first period."

Hawks have no new injury headaches, and with the return of wonder kid Tom Burridge last week, are boosted by their biggest squad all season.

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